By Abdullahi Muhammad, Abuja
Following gradual resurgence of traffic build up along Dutse Alhaji road by the market, authorities of the FCT Administration over the weekend shut down the market for general clean up and renovation.
The return of traffic to the area was said to have been caused by lack of parking space inside the market, which has been converted into illegally attached shops.
Part of the activities of the enforcement exercise included general clean up of the market premises, disilting of its drainage systems and removal of all makeshift shops, popularly known as attachment, which took every available space.
The team also cleared the market of broken wooden tables and benches used in blocking passage ways; heaps of littered polythene materials like plastics and nylon papers as well as stones and general refuse.
All the makeshift shops fastened to walls of the main shops and the others nailed into the ground on walk and drive ways were all removed, assembled and burnt to ashes.
The perimeter fencing of the market earlier built by the current FCT Administration, about two years ago, was also given a face lift as it was all painted, besides leveling up of erosion affected portions of the market.
Also, the team, which arrived the market in the early hours of Saturday, constructed two beautiful giant gates, renovated the fence and installed them at the entrance and exit of the market, replacing the ones that were vandalized and stolen.
Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah who led the Dutse Alhaji team explained to journalists that his principal, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello was determined to keep the market clean at all times, and ensure its operation does not impede smooth traffic flow along the road thereby causing road users hardship and pain.
“We want them to know that they cannot have attachments in the markets because that makes it difficult for seamless movement and for cars to come in, and thereby force people to the main roads to block the road for road users to pass freely.
“We have been here continuously for this. The FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello who has taken this market as a soecial project has tasked us to keep this market under check and keep the road corridor very free.
“He (Bello) was the one who fenced this beautiful market and has done so many jobs here putting up the gate, which was broken and stolen.
“Today, we are restoring the gate, painting the fence and carrying out general renovation and clean up work.
“We could not have achieved this much with the market on, so we had to close it in partnership with Bwari Area Council to enable us clean it thoroughly in and out.
“All our team from the Abuja Environmental Protecrion Board (AEPB), Department of Development Control and all others had free chance to work; that is why you can see the market wearing a different beautiful face just as the Minister wants it to look.”
Commenting on the Olajumoke Akinjide section of the Market, which was still unkept at the time of the visit, the SSA assured that his men would return on Monday for another round of cleaning, revealing that there were illegalities to be corrected at this market.
“We will go back to the Olajumoke Market in Dutse. We never knew the extent of the illegalitie at that market. We saw it and together with the Bwari Area Council, represented by the Council Secretary, Hon. Eli, we will get back there and purge it very soon”, Ikharo said
One of the affected makeshift shop owners, Linus Okoronkwo, popularly known as PRO, decried high cost of buying or renting shops in the market and appealed for a rather better arrangement.